4 Helpful Tips for Clogged Drains in Your Home

No matter what steps you take to protect your home’s plumbing system, you are sure to deal with at least a few clogs over the years. Luckily, most clogs can easily be taken care of with a little bit of hard work and some inexpensive equipment. Here are 4 helpful tips to help you deal with clogged drains in your home.

Skip the Chemical Drain Cleaners

It might be tempting to pour chemical drain cleaners down your sinks whenever they become clogged, but those products can be very harmful. Most drain cleaners are highly toxic, and they could contaminant your sinks and faucets if you aren’t careful. Some drainer cleaners will even damage your pipes, filters, and gaskets. Occasionally using one of those products for a slow drain shouldn’t be a big problem, but you might want to try some other options as well.

Invest in a Drain Snake

Most home improvement centers sell inexpensive drain snakes, and that is one piece of equipment that every homeowner should invest in. A drain snake will physically break apart any debris that is down in the pipes, and those types of devices are very easy to use. All you will need to do is feed the tube down into the pipe until you feel resistance. You can then spin the handle on the drain snake to break apart the debris.

Be Wary of What You Flush and Rinse Away

Most clogs can easily be avoided as long as you refrain from flushing and rinsing away certain products. As a general rule, you should never let any debris get into your pipes unless it was specifically designed for sewage systems. Some of the worst offenders include hygiene products, fats, oils, coffee grounds, hair, and vegetable scraps. So be wary of what you flush and rinse away, and keep your pipes clear and unclogged.

Call a Pro for Ongoing Clogs

If your pipes are constantly becoming clogged, then you probably have some problems deeper in your plumbing system. A clogged sewer line will impact all of the sinks, toilets, showers, and bathtubs throughout your home, and you should never tackle that issue on your own. Clogged sewage lines are very difficult to fix, and a professional plumber will need to use special equipment. Attempting to clear the sewer line on your own could result in expensive damage to your pipes.

In addition to clogged drains, you should also keep an eye for any other unusual problems with your plumbing system such as slow drips, high water bills, and unusual smells. Those could all be signs that you have problems with your plumbing system that need to be addressed immediately.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

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